Pain Killer

14 ~ Ex-Bestfriends

Uri's shoulders go the slightest bit stiff, but he hides it well. "Likewise. How've you been, Jay?" His lips tighten around the name and he presses them closed, watching him closely. His guard is up. Very up.

They know each other.

Jay's smirk stays hauntingly still as his eyes wander down to me. His head tilts an inch sideways. "Your girlfriend, I assume?"

"Oh, we're not-" I'm about to step back but Uri interrupts me.

"Yeah, what of it?" Uri's arm takes my shoulders.

I flinch under the feeling but remain in my spot. Uri must have a reason. I narrowly glance up at him. My lips pinch to the side. I am so getting you back for this little stunt later. "I'm Delilah, nice to meet you." I hold out my hand to Jay in common courtesy.

Uri's fingers tighten on my shoulder.

I'm just being nice, Uri. I roll my eyes to myself as Jay takes my hand.

"The feeling's mutual, Delilah." He gives a warm squeeze, something I wasn't expecting because of Uri's cold reaction. "Good to see our friend still has standards." He chuckles a bit.

Uri doesn't laugh, his hand still squeezing me hard. It's starting to hurt. I wiggle a little to signal him but he doesn't even look my way.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Jay stuffs his hands back in his pockets as we move up the line.

I wait for Uri to say something but his silence is honestly more annoying than his voice. I grumble a complaint before looking up at Jay. "We actually just met, this semester."

"Nice. Didn't think you were Uri's type, to be honest."

"I don't have a type," Uri mumbles.

Jay ignores his response. His dark eyes lower in mischief. "Naw, it's definitely the mysterious brunette, isn't it?" Jay points a thumb at Uri as he looks back at me. "This guy used to be the biggest player, back in high school."

I peer up at Uri. He avoids my gaze.

These two have a long history. But why the frosty atmosphere? It makes me all the more curious about who exactly Jay is. What type of people did Uri hang out with when he was in high school? Ten pounds of questions sit on my shoulders with Uri's arm.

"How long have you known Uri?" I ask Jay, knowing I won't be receiving any information from the redhead who won't let go of me.

"Hmm, middle school, I guess?" Jay quirks a brow in thought. "Jeez, time really flies, doesn't it? I had no idea you were even coming to this college." He smirks again. "What happened, dude? Are you still sore from getting voted out?"

Uri's whole demeanor tightens.

Jay takes a breath, seeing that he has touched a sensitive spot. He lifts his palms up. "Hey, no hard feelings, man. That all blew over, ages ago. You're still welcome to the group anytime, you know?"

"No thanks, I would rather not make kids risk their lives to enter a clique." It's a tight reply, matching his whole stance and those fingers wrapped around my shoulder.

"Oh, Uri, we got rid of that rule a long time ago. Seriously, the group's changed."

"Is that why I don't recognize the rest of these guys you're with? Did you kick out my old friends, too?"

My head whips up at Uri and then back to Jay. What is going on?

"Nah, they moved away, got jobs, got married, you know, the growing up stage of life that we finally came to."